Electric coupling



Aug. 29, 1950 H, L, SHAW 2,520,739

' ELECTRIC COUPLIYNG Filed Sept. 9, 1947 INVENTOR JiarueyL. 512a w ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 29, 1950 ELECTRIC COUPLING V Harvey Shaw, Merced, Calif. I i Application'september 9, 1947, Serial N0."772, l27 I Y i This invention is directed to, and it is an object 3 Claims. (01. 17s s4s) toprovide'a novel, quick-detachable electric coupling.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric coupling designed so as to prevent accidental separation of the parts thereof.

'A further object of the invention is to provide an electric coupling which is constructed so that.

the parts thereof mayrelatively rotate or swivel whereby the electric cord leadingfrom a supply outlet to the coupling, or from the coupling to an appliance, does not twist, and remains straight and easy to manipulate. I

A further object of the invention is'to provide a simple, practical, and inexpensive electric coupling, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objectsare accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing the coupling with the-parts thereof alined but detached. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the coupling engaged for use. 7 Fig. 3 is a similar view, but shows the relationship of the parts just prior to separating the same. Referring now more particularly to the char; acters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises a socket unit, indicated generally at -l, and a plug unit, indicated generally at 2, adapted to quick-detachably couple in relatively rotatable or swivel relation in said socket unit I'. The socket unit I comprises a cylindrical dielectric body 3 formed with a. relatively large-diameter bore 4 open to the forward end of the body. At its rear end the body includes an inner end wall 5, and a hollow cap 6 is threaded onto said end of the body in enclosing relation to the end wall 5.

The body 3 is fitted with a. metallic lining sleeve I which terminates adjacent but short of the forward end of said body, and at its inner end the metallic lining sleeve 1 is flanged inwardly, as at 8, and secured to the end wall by bolts, one of which forms a terminal 9 laterally cflset from the axis of the socket unit I.

The other terminal in is centrally disposed in the end wall 5, and is fitted with an axially and forwardly projecting central contact spring H disposed within the bore 4. The electric supply wires l2, of a cord, lead into the hollow cap 8 and connect to corresponding ones of the terminals 9 and I!) in the manner illustrated,

,Adjacent but short of-its; forward" end the metallic lining sleeve 1 is formed with a plurality ofequally and :circumferentially spaced slots f3, and the body 3-is recessed, as at M, to communi cate with said slots. Spring-contact fingers l5 are -fixed tothe outside of the metallic lining sleeve 1 in the, recesses l4, and project through the slots l3 intozthe' bore 4 in-radially' resilient"- relation. The portiom of th'econtact fingers l5 within the-bore 4 is: in :theform'of a'generally L-shaped, rearwardly'projecting foot.

The plug unit; indicated'generally at 2, com-- prises a dielectric plug I76 having 'a'forward portion of a diameter toiengage'in the bore 4. Such 1 forward portion of the dielectric plug I6 is formed with a, central contact .pin 1'1 and anannular; metallic contact channel l8 countersunk thereinto; asshown. i

ring is capable of sliding. motion axially of. the plug I6.

The dielectric plugllii .is fitted at its outer gend with a hollow, threaded-0n cap 20, and leads 2| extendfrom tlie contact pin. I"! and contact channel l8 through the plug to terminals 22-01 the end within the cap 20. Wires l2a of a cord extend in the ,cap to connection with said, ter-- fimgminals. 22. g I v I The socketunit and the. plug unit: 2 areine terposed in an electric cord and are engaged to-'.

gether in the manner shown in Fig. 2 by projecti'ng the forward portion of the plug l5 into the bore 4 of the body 3. As such engagement is accomplished the contact fingers I5 engage and shift the flat metallic ring l9 in a direction toward the outer end of the dielectric plug 16 to the position shown in Fig. whence said contact fingers l5 snap into the contact channel I8, in the portion thereof adjacent the inner end of said plug l6.

As so coupled, the socket unit I and plug unit 2 cannot accidentally separate, but are maintained for relative rotation or swiveling; this being an advantageous feature, as it prevents twisting, undesirably, of the cord. As a consequence, the cord is always straight, and easy to manipulate without twisting.

When it is desired to uncouple the device, the plug unit is first shifted axially inwardly a slight distance relative to the socket unit I, causing the contact fingers l5 to ride from their locking position of Fig. 2 in the contact channel l8 onto the ring l9, as shown in Fig. 3. When this occurs,

which not only prevents twisting of the cord, but

permits of ready and easy attachment or detachmment of the parts of said coupling. V

From the foregoing description it willlfi'e readily seen that there has beerraprnducedisueh a device as substantiallyfulfllls the object of the invention as set forth herein;

While this specificationsets forth in detail the preSEhtIandIpreferrefimolistmmtio i-i'wf the deiiic, stniiiirrrpracticeasuchnraematinswtromesucn def- 'tailI mag bei resortedeio 'aa tioi notmorme:de-i' partnre-Ifromithe spirit tsfiithenmventioria'asidefl fifid byathe appendedi'lafmsna.

Havingitniisedesemhetl cheziinventiom; therifolfi lowing'sis claimed asmew Y amiusefnlz and: uponwhiclri'netteifsflatent'arerdesireuzfi V 1. rinzelectrieicompiizig cmmpnism'g a sockettanm whereby the ring will push the finger out of the channel shaped contact member and hold it clear thereof and permit withdrawal of the plug from the socket.

3. An electric coupling comprising a socket and a plug engageable with the socket, cooperating contact elements formed in the bottom of the socket and the end of the plug respectively, a contactsleeve fitted intowithe socket, the body in of the isocketibeing providedowith 'a recess in its inner side adjacent the open end of the socket, the sleeve being provided with a slot in register with the recess, a spring contact finger fixed to th'e'zosleeve within the recess and projecting through saidslot into the interior of the socket,

me mgtmg of a diameter such as to have a 'closeeslidingsfitswvithLthe inside surface of the sleeve, an annular channel shaped contact member=in"the'-'outside of the plug, the sides of the channel extending at substantial right angles to the i bottom ofi the: channeie' thai; powtionaofiithe spring fingerewhi'chprroziectsfinto Ethel sleeveihav-c ing a portion lying in substantial parallelismiti withctthevzlongitudiiirale axiscofzetheiesockeizearid --spaced fromt thei inside mfnthei sleevepaivherebyie when the pluginisr engagedo inz cheese-crewman spring fingerwzillrengage. withthrehennebshaiaed contahtumem-heriwithathendrofrthezfingermerazs locking: withi'on'e; side -iofsthetchanenleto' preventzi a plug'mngag'eablerih thelsocketi: cooperafinigiconmw accidental separatioiuof thawing-rand sooketjz-eanda' tact elements iofrrredimithh hdttotn 'o 'the socket amnrthez-enzi ximh'eepmgarespeetwely the plug being iorme'dswitmhmmnnulani charrrreL-ashapecw contact memiieminzth'amutsme :ofethea mgs-a inwazitdiyipnofiectingssmngxontatt firf m ein'sidwoe-the soeket'sanmerrgageable i theesaie chammi shapeu contaiitinemher whmmhfi plug is engaged within the socket, the end of the" finger interIo'c'kii rgw/ithi tn side ofzthe ehannel totpre ventraccideiitaiaseparatien zof tlfe -plug and scoketefiairct movableflreiease means moanted on theipm'g anw operativ uperf'relative axial move ment of the plug and socket in one direction along lth' axis with?! plug-*arfd socketf o release tl'fe flfigf fromlits' inteflokW relatioi ishfii wit the 'sid'e oft-thevcharinei to permit separation of" th'e plugialfd sbcke'tf I r 7 2 A eou'phrfg aemclarinet in wnie-ir sam ee lease means compmss a slip ringalobseiy mounted in the channel shaped contact member-and n fio i gageable withfislie--sprtrrg fingerupom -movemen-t of th plug in one direction relative W tire-secret a, slip sringelooselymnountedsiriitheachannel anal:- engageablemwitlr-itheefin'ger upomzmovementmofs: the plug in one direction-.meiatixzei aid thezsockts whe'reby thl nringsmiilmuelnithe finger outfof ih'e 5 chann e12shaped *contaocmemberiandfhold it clear thereofrctoi permiin withdnawalrofcthetplugefroman the socketet.

REFERENGES e The following references are mf iecord"in th file of this patent: 4

UNITEDFSTA'BESiiPA'IlENTSF r Name if Date 837,184 Browni Nov?27;"'190'6 eat-551W Hubb'ell marine e, v191-1 1,2252-391-'- Anderson May-s,-19-1*r* 1,55ll'530'6 Dustin: Aug-z'-18j'-1925 1,6485518- Werner; Nov .8192? 2,1osi4e Guimr: Jan-11;193s-*- 

